Dalton



Nov. 22, 1955 w. DALTON RAILROAD TRACK STRUCTURE Filed April 30, 1953 ATTORN m m wl M 2 N. i R w 5 mm Mm G m m .NGI mm 2 P if: 5 A x m 2 m g o 3 8m 2mm aarivs RAILROAD TRACK STRUCTURE William Dalton, Schenectady, N. Y., assignor to John Dalton, Scotia, N. Y.

Application April 30, 1955, Serial No. 352,151

Claims. (11. 238-338) Other and further objects of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, the accompanying drawings, and the appended claims.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a side elevation showing a portion of a cross tie with a portion of track rail, in cross section, secured thereto by the device of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of a cross tie with the track rail secured thereto by the device of the invention;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the tie plate forming part of the invented device.

Referring now to Fig. 1, cross tie 9 is a metallic unit which is preferably a section or length of discarded steel rail. Welded to the head 10 of the cross tie and spaced longitudinally thereon are a pair of dowels 12. Disposed on top of the cross tie is a tie plate or rail chair 13 which is formed with a pair of vertical holes 14 spaced for the reception of dowels 12. A pair of rail holding ribs 15 extend across the width of the plate; and two vertical rectangular openings 16 are formed through the plate beyond the ribs and adjacent diagonally opposite corners. The inner wall 17 of each opening 16 is vertically continuous with the inner face 18 of rib 15. Tie plate 13,viewed in plan (see Fig. 3, is rectangular; and when positioned on the cross tie, its length extends along the tie and the ribs 15 are at right angles to the tie.

Track rail 11 is arranged between the tie plate holding ribs which are spaced for the reception of the rail base flange 19. The width of rail base flanges is standard, according to rail weight, so the spacing of the holding ribs is determined by the weight of rail for which the tie plate is designed. To secure the tie plate, the cross tie, and the track rail in assembled relation, a clamp, generally indicated at 20, and a fastener 21 are provided. jClamp comprises a central body portion 22, an upper bent end 23, and (see Fig. 2) a lower bent end 24. When clamp 20 is in upright position and is viewed in United States Patent 0 plan, it is seen that lower end 24 is disposed at substantially a angle from the upper end 23. By such an arrangement of its ends, clamp 20 may be inserted, lower end first, through the opening 16 in the tie plate and then rotated a quarter turn so that its upper end will engage the sloping top surface 25 of the base flange 19 of the track rail and its lower end will engage the sloping lower surface 26 of the cross tie head 10. Both upper and lower bent ends are formed so that their respective engaging surfaces 27 and 28 are sloped to correspond to theengaged slopes of the track and tie flange members. i

M 2,724,559 Patented Nov. 22, 1955 The face 29 of the central body portion 22 which is adjacent the track rail (see Fig. 1) is straight and flat so that when it is assembled it is flush with the lateral face 30 of the rail base flange and in vertical alignment withthe inner side wall 17 of opening 16. The face 31 of the central body portion on the side toward the cross tie head should likewise be straight and flat so that when it is assembled it is flush with both the inner wall 32 of the opening 16 and the side wall 33a of the cross tie head 10. To provide for the proper positioning of clamp 20 with face 31 flush against the rail base flange and the wall of the tie plate opening and with its adjacent side 29 flush against the cross tie head and the adjacent wall of the tie plate opening, it is of course obvious that the openings 16 are so spaced in reference to the transverse center line T of the tie plate that their inner walls 17 will be in vertical alignment with the side faces 33a of the cross tiehead when the elements are assembled.

When the clamp 20 is positioned in engagement with the rail and tie, as described, fastener 21 is driven through the space remaining between the: clamp and the outer wall 33 of the opening 16. Fastener 21 is preferably in the form of a spring key of heavy spring steel. Its two prongs 34 and 35 arenormally spaced apart and consequently considerable force is required to insert the key through the space which has a width less than the normal overall width of the key prongs. When driven into position the key exerts a force of considerable magnitude to hold the clamp in engagement with the rail and tie. The prong ends are beveled, as shown, to facilitate insertion.

While there has been hereinbefore described an approved embodiment of this invention, it will be understood that many and various changes and modifications in form, arrangement of parts and details of construction thereof may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, and that all such changes and modifications as fall within the scope of the appended claims are contemplated as a part of this invention.

What I claim is:

1. A structure to secure a track rail to a cross tie of the class which has a longitudinal head flange having the shape of a rail head comprising a tie plate disposed on the cross tie, said tie plate having a pair of spaced ribs adapted to receive the track rail therebetween, a pair of vertical spaced holes and a pair of vertical openings extending therethrough, said holes being disposed along the longitudinal center line of the cross tie head flange and the openings being disposed beyond said flange on opposite sides thereof: a pair of dowels on the cross tie head flange projecting into the spaced holes in the tie plate; a clamping member extending through each vertical opening to engage the base flange of the track rail and the head flange of the cross tie, said clamping member having a central body portion, a bent upper end, and a bent lower end, the ends being arranged at substantially a 90 angle to each other, and a resilient key in each opening to hold the clamping member in engagement with the rail and cross tie.

2. A structure to secure a track rail to a metallic cross tie having a longitudinal flanged head thereon, comprising a rectangular tie plate disposed on the cross tie flanged head with its longer dimension extending along said head,

a pair of spaced parallel ribs on the tie plate for the recepw tion of the track rail, a pair of spaced vertical holes in the tie plate disposed with their center lines in vertical alignment with the side faces of the rail head, a pair of dowels welded to the cross tie head and extending into said holes, a pair of openings formed in the tie plate adjacent diagonally opposite corners of the plate, a clamping member extending through each opening, an upper bent end on said clamping member having a sloping surface engaging the track rail, a lower bent end on said clampiri'gmember having a sloping surface engaging the cross tie flanged head, and a resilient key in each opening to hold the clamping member in engagement with the rail and cross'tie. t

3. In a railroad track structure of the class in which a rail is supported bya tie platedis'posed upon a metallic cross tie having a flanged head,"a device to secure the rail, the tie plate, and metallic cross tie in assembled relation comprising a clamping member extending through the tie plate to "engage the base flange of the rail and the head flange of the cross tie, saidclarnping member having a central body pottion, a bent upper end to engage the base fiangeof the rail and a bent lower end to engage the flanged head of the metalliccross tie, said ends being disposed at substantially a 90 angle 'to each other.

i. In a railroad'track structure of the class in which a rail is supported by a tie plate disposed upon a metallic cross tie having a flanged head, a'device extending through an opening in the tie plate to secure the rail, the tie plate,

and the metallic cross tie in assembled relation comprising a clamping member extending through, the opening in the tie plate and havingfla'mainlbody with a bent upper endrto engage the base flange of the'rail and with a bent lower end disposed at substantially a 90 angle to the bent upperend to engage the head flange of the cross tie and a resilient key extending through the opening in the tie plate to hold the clamping member in engagement with the rail and cross tie.

5. A structure to secure a track rail to a cross tie of the class which has a longitudinal head flange having the shape of a rail head comprising a tie plate disposed on the cross tie, said tie plate having a pair of spaced ribs adapted to receive the track rail therebetween, a vertical hole and a pair of vertical openings extending therethrough, said hole being disposed on the longitudinal center line of the cross tie head flange and the openings being disposed beyond said flange on opposite sides thereof; a dowel 011 the cross tie head flange projecting into the hole in the tie plate; a clamping member extending through each vertical opening to engage the base flange of the track rail and the head flange of the cross tie, said clamping member having a central body portion, a bent upper end, and a bent lower end, the ends being arranged at substantially a 90 angle to each other, and a resilient key in each opening to hold the clamping member in engagement with the rail and cross tie.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 890,116 Alford June 9, 1908 1,378,366 Menser May 17, 1921 1,815,044 Beebe July 21,1931 

